3. A competent authority receiving a request referred to in paragraph 1 shall provide the information without undue delay and shall make every effort to respond by the time indicated in the request. If that competent authority is unable to reply by the time indicated in the request it shall inform the competent authority making the request without undue delay of the time by which it will provide the information.
If the requested information is not available, the competent authority receiving a request referred to in paragraph 1 shall accordingly inform the competent authority making the request.